Dresden to Dusseldorf by train.

---

We were up early and had breakfast before our short journey to the railway station. (1.7 miles) Once we were in place on Platform 12 I went off to Rewe to buy lunch. When the train arrived we had plenty of time to get the bikes into their spaces and ourselves upstairs to our seats. We had bought our ticket about a month ago as we realised that if we didn't there might not be bike spaces left. It wasn't the same train as we had seen yesterday, it was newer and quite plush. It had come from the Czech Republic and was going to Cologne by a very indirect route. We had to wear ppf face masks on board. This is the only place we have had to wear them, although many people are wearing them, particularly in the shops.



On route we passed through many places we have stayed, or cycled through on our way to Prague or Berlin. We hadn't gone far when it started to rain and then it poured down. The sky was very dark and grey and there was a thunder storm. The waiter in the restaurant last night had told us the rain on Tuesday was the first rain they had had for months but the forecast was for four solid days of rain. We hoped by crossing the country for several hundred miles We would escape the rain. Admittedly, the forecast for Cologne isn't good either but time will tell.



At Hanover the train came to an abrupt stop and announced it wasn't going any further and passengers must find alternative trains. A visit to the ticket office sorted us for another train with an hour and a half wait. Once on that train it was announced it would only go as far as Dortmand. Luckily we were soon sorted again with only minutes to wait. Then at Dusseldorf we were told that was the end of the line again. At the ticket office we were told it would take two more changes to get to Cologne. As it was already past eight o'clock we had to admit defeat and find a hotel in Dusseldorf. It was too late to cancel the Cologne one but there was nothing else we couid do. Fortunately we have been to Cologne before so we haven't missed out on it all together. We chose a Motel One hotel as they are always nice hotels without being too pricey. Some of the hotels round about looked dodgy.

We quickly changed and went out for food and ate Vietnamese again. Thank fully it was dry here. When we got back to the hotel we heard the very sad news that the queen bad died and it put everything into perspective.

---